Well pump for fluids and vapors

ABSTRACT

A pipe and one or more annular pipes disposed therewith for stringing down into a well below the fluid level means, supplying gas to the upper end of the annulus adjacent the center pipe for feeding gas under pressure, an aerator device for coupling the gas from the adjacent annulus into the lower terminal of the inner pipe causing the gas to comingle and foam with the well fluids, and a venturi throat means within the gas flow path downstream of the aerator device for causing a slight suction in the upper direction in the inner pipe of the foamed well fluids so as to force the well fluids, when emulsified, upwardly for discharge at the upper terminal of the inner pipe. There may also be provided an additional concentrically disposed pipe forming an outer annulus through which gas from the external supply flows into the adjacent annulus. The aerator device may include a ball and seat standing valve which opens upon the application of gas under pressure passing through the aerator, and in which there is a screen over the outlet thereof for the efflux of gas into the oil flow passageway.

United States Patent 1 91 1111 3,884,299

McCarter et al. May 20, 1975 WELL PUMP FOR FLUIDS AND VAPORS 57 ABSTRACT[75] n e to s 0 c S y A pipe and one or more annular pipes disposedthere- -s both of LOngWeWTeX- with for stringing down into a well belowthe fluid level means, supplying gas to the upper end of the an- 73 A':R.E.Bl t,L .T .;2 1 Sslgnee mm Ongvlew ex 1 nulus ad acent the centerpipe: for feeding gas under part interest pressure, an aerator devicefor coupling the gas from Filed: June 2 1974 the adjacent annulus intothe lower terminal of the [21] APP] NOJ 482,655 inner pipe causing thegas to comingle and foam with the well fluids, and a venturi throatmeans within the Related Application Data gas flow path downstream ofthe aerator device for [63] Continuation of Ser, No, 313,620, D 11 1972,causing a slight suction in the upper direction in the abandoned. innerpipe of the foamed well fluids so as to force the well fluids, whenemulsified, upwardly for discharge at [52] US. Cl 166/68; 417/109 theupper terminal of the inner pipe. There may also [51] Int. Cl. E21b43/00 be provided an additional concentrically disposed pipe [58] Fieldof Search 166/68; 417/108, 109, 1 10, forming an outer annulus throughwhich gas from the 417/115 external supply flows into the adjacentannulus. The aerator device may include a ball and seat standing [56]References Cited valve which opens upon the application of gas underUNITED STATES PATENTS pressure passing through the aerator, and in which562,266 6/1896 Young et a1. 166/68 a the Outlet thereof for the 990,8305/1911 Bischoff et a1 417 109 of gas Into the 911 flow passageway.

1,604,644 lO/l926 Heyser 1 417/108 1,758,376 5/1930 Sawyer 166/68 7Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 3,884,299

SHEEI 10? 2 PATENTED HAYZOIQYS SHEETE 0F 2 WELL PUMP FOR FLUIDS ANDVAPORS This is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 313,620, filedDec. ll, 1972, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvedwell pump that provides for the preservation of gas volume pressures andprovides improved life of the well. This invention produces a morefavorable volume of oil for the amount of gas volume heretoforenecessary for such production. More particularly, the invention relatesto a device or well pump for emulsifying crude oil along with thelighter ends of the petroleum and lifting the entire content to thesurface without the need of intervening lift devices, so that theemulsified crude process is complete at the bottom hole level. This iscaused by a multiple discharging flathead leading into a reducingconstriction at an exact point, with the foamed well fluids remainingemulsified on the way to the surface.

One of the important features of the present invention is that there isprovided a specific aerator device used in a system for oil well pumpingand is a departure from prior art devices for well pumping. The improvedaerator device is incorporated as the foot piece of an axial string ofpipe and is disposed immediately above a packer of any suitable design.Therefore, there is no need to introduce conventional water soluble oroil soluble emulsifying agents.

The device of the present invention is different from the conventionalventuri lifts and the so-called jet lifts in that it combines a completeeffective emulsifying process with the lifting process and is disposedat the bottom of the string. The complete effective emulsifying processand the lifting process are provided with less input pressure due to theresulting favorable weight-volume ratio caused by the bottom holeemulsifying process.

It is seen therefore that an object and advantage of the invention isthat it permits a more uniform pressure of the emulsified fluid as wellas providing a condition that virtually permits a skimming off of theoil due to no, or substantially no, significant pressure drop at thebottom hole opening, thereby preventing a water drive production, orwhat is normally called salt water drive or salt water production. Thesalt water production is the standard killer of all oil and gasproducing wells. With the use of the conventional pump, and othercurrent devices, there is a crowning effect at the bottom of theproducing string, which cuts off the incoming oil and produces the waterfrom beneath the continuously thin layer of oil.

An additional object and advantage of the invention is that it providesa device that may be used with or without packing. It is probable thatpacking will be more desirable and less expensive due to the eliminationof the need for additional tail pipe or extension.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved well pumpin which oil flow passageways are drilled through a solid block in thelower end of the discharge pipe, with the openings surrounding a gasdischarge extension, upstream thereof. The gas discharge extension hasat least four elongated openings, from inside to outside, anddischarging gas is directed ata right angle to a wall of the invertedfunnel or venturi, and concentrically just above the center of the coneor fun nel opening, for forcing into the venturi restriction theemulsified oil or other well fluid being produced. The

device of the invention does not bubble the oil; it foams v the bottomof the producing string of pipe, In brief, it

reduces or eliminates coning, and it emulsifies the liquid untilsurfacing, with water production minimized or entirely eliminated inmost instances.

Another object of the invention is that it provides a simpledetermination of the oil level and depth which is inexpensive, and areadjustment of the producing. string of pipe can be made with a simpleraising or lowering of only one string, which raising or lowering isusually of small magnitude, and is often not necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved well pumpthat does not require the use of for eign agents to aid the foaming oremulsification, since the device itself foams the product being producedand under the minimal pressure necessary for surfacing the 1 foam; thereduction of the foam does nottake place until such pressure is nolonger present, as when the foam surfaces and is exposed to theatmospheric pres sure under conditions which, at this point, causes itto a readily and instantly reduce to a liquid form.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a method andapparatus for i producing fluids and vapors of oil well fluids in whichan aerator device is added as a foot piece on a central string of pipefor causing the gas to comingle with and foam the well fluids. The wellfluids so formed have zero weight by virtue of its make up, includingfriction between the foam and the wall of the inner pipe for enablingthe foam to be forced upward and discharged at the surface of thewell-head with very low pressure. A

venturi throat in the aerator causes a slight suction in an upwarddirection in the inner pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects andadvantages of the invention will become apparent upon full considerationof the following detailed description and accompanying v drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an arrangement placing concentricstrings of pipe down into a well below fluid level;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one of the preferred embodiments of theinvention in which there is an aerator device provided as a foot pieceon an inner pipe of a string placed down into a well for causing gas tocomingle with and foam the well fluids;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an arrangement shown in FIG. 2 havingan added outer column acting to hold a back pressure against the face ofthe producing formation, in accordance with a further embodiment of theinvention; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram embodying a modification anddetails of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a broken-away and blown up cross-sectional view of a form ofan aerator according to another em bodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings,there is shown in FIG. 1 an improved well pump extending down within abore hole and connected at the upper end to a pipe 12 which extendscentrally down within the pump, as shown. There is concentricallydisposed to pipe 12 a pipe 14 connected to an external supply of gas(not shown) coupled at an inlet 16, which forms an upper terminal to theannular pipe 14. Gas under pressure is fed down into the annular pipe 14and upon sufficient pressure, the gas is forced below the fluid level18. The lower terminal of the annular pipe 14 is provided withperforations 20,20 to provide the inflow of the well fluids which reachthe fluid 18. The lower terminal of the inner pipe 12 is provided withan aerator device 24 which causes the gas in the annular pipe 14 tocomingle with and foam the well fluids which are then driven underpressure from the gas upward in the inner pipe 12.

In FIG. 2, there is similarly shown a pump 10a, an inner pipe 12, anannular pipe 14 with the inlet 16 and the perforations 20, and in whicha packer means or element 28 is positioned immediately below the aeratordevice 24 within the annular pipe 14. The aerator device is providedwith and made a part of a venturi throat means within the gas flow pathfor causing a slight suction in an upward direction within the innerpipe of the foamed well fluids, so that there results a flow of thefoamed well fluids upwardly which are discharged at the upper terminal30 of the inner pipe at the earths surface with very low appliedpressure.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a well pump 32 having an inner pipe 34 with anupper terminal 36 provided with a valve 38, and an annular pipe 40having an upper terminal 42 through which is provided an inlet 44, andthe annular pipe 40 extending below a fluid level 48 to its lowerterminal 50 having perforations 52,52. The lower terminal or end 54 ofthe inner pipe 34 is provided with a packer means or element 56, andwithin an aerator device 58 there is a venturi throat means 60. Theventuri throat means provides for the gas flow path leaving the aeratordevice 58 for causing a slight suction or pressure in an upwarddirection in the inner pipe 34 for the flow of foamed well fluids whichare forced upwardly and discharged at the upper terminal 36 when thevalve 38 is open. To provide an increment of pressure upon the fluidlevel 48 and the foaming of the well fluids, there is provided an outerannular pipe 64 that is additionally disposed concentric of the pipes34,40, and in which the lower terminal means 66 of the outer pipe 64extend below the surface of a well fluid and into an oil zone 68. Theupper terminal 70 of the outer casing or pipe 64 is closed off exceptfor an outlet 72 which connects with a pipe 74 to the inlet 44 and whichincludes a valve 76. The lower terminal means 66 of the casing or pipe64 is essentially open for engaging with the oil zone 68, as shown inFIG. 3.

An external supply (not shown) is applied to a pipe 80 which isconnected to the outer casing or pipe 64 near the upper terminal 70, andit includes a valve 82 that may be opened to various magnitudesv Thisexternal supply provides gas through the pipe 80 into the casing 64above the fluid level 48 and, as the pressure fills this area with gas,it then leaks through the pipe 74 into the annular pipe 40 which isdriven downwardly through the aerator device 58 into the venturi 60,

which is below the fluid level 86, the fluid level being above thepacker 56, as shown, and thus the foamed well fluids are driven upwardlywithin the inner pipe 34 to the terminal, as described above.

An improved modification and preferred mode of practicing the inventionis shown in FIG. 4 in which the same reference numerals forcorresponding elements are shown and described in connection with FIG.3. The well pump of FIG. 4 is provided with an improved aerator device90, shown in enlarged scale in FIG. 5. and in which the venturi is shownas a nozzle or throat portion 92.

In FIG. 4, the lower terminal 66 of the casing 64 is provided withapertures or perforations 94,94, through which pass the oil of the oilzone strata 68 into the casing or outer annular pipe 64 to reach thefluid level 48 therein, and then passes through the apertures 52,52 intothe adjacent annular pipe 40 to reach a fluid level 86. Also the oilpermeates into the inner pipe 34 through openings or apertures 100,100which may be similar in function to the perforations 52,52,94,94, sothat the oil within the inner pipe 34 reaches the aerator device atwhich point it becomes the oil foam which passes through the venturi 60into the emulsified fluid that proceeds thereabove.

The details of the aerator device 90 together with the venturi are shownin FIG. 5. The aerator device 90 includes a multiple discharge flatheadhaving a plurality of oil flow passageways 102,102, extending verticallyfor the upward flow of oil. The oil leaving the passageways 102,102mixes with gas brought in from the annular pipe 40 through a passageway106 in a direction shown by the arrow 108 and through a standing valve110 consisting of a ball 112 and a seat 114. The gas then passes througha screen or grid work 116 for mixing with the oil flow from thepassageways 102,102, and results in foamed well fluids that pass throughthe venturi throat 92. As shown in FIG. 5, the throat may have aperipheral surface that is recessed from the diameter and which isprovided with a coupling surface such as a threaded section 126 forbeing coupled threadedly in engagement with the inner threaded sectionof a section of pipe 34. Of course, other means of coupling well knownin the art for connecting pipe sections may also be used within thepurview of the invention.

The standing valve 110 provides means to create adjustment of backpressure against the face of the producing formation for preventingencroachment of salt water and for prolonging the producing life of thewell. The standing valve opens upon the application of gas underpressure passing through the aerator, and the oil passing through thepassageways 102 mixes with the pressurized gas that passes through thescreen or grid work 116 in producing the foamed well fluids, and whichis forced upwardly along the pipe 34.

The oil flow passageways 102,102 are of appropriate size, constructionand configuration for preventing foreign and solid particles fromentering and clogging the producing string. Such foreign and solidparticles would otherwise collect and accumulate in the pipe 34, but dueto the sizing of the passageways 102,102, they do not enter into thefoamed flow or oil fluids in pipe 34. The foreign and solid particlesare such items as old pump washers, packing, rocks and the like, whichin prior art devices have been found to enter the producing string. Byuse of the aerator device according to the present invention, there isprovided a more uniform pressure in the extraction of oil from the oilzone within more natural conditions, and virtually permits a skimmingoff of the oil without any substantial or significant pressure drop atthe bottom hole openings or perforations 94,94.

Additional embodiments of the invention in this specification will occurto others and therefore it is intended that the true spirit of theinvention be limited only by the appended claims and not by theembodiments described hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be madeto the following claims in determining the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved well pump for fluids and vapors comprising a set of atleast two concentrically disposed pipes for stringing down into a wellbelow fluid level, said set consisting of an inner pipe and an adjacentannulus each having an upper and a lower terminal thereof, an externalsupply of gas coupled to the upper terminal of the adjacent annulus forfeeding gas under pressure down therein, aerator means disposed at thelower terminal of the inner pipe for coupling the gas of the adjacentannulus into the inner pipe including emulsifying means for causing thegas to comingle with the well fluids, and venturi means within the flowpath downstream of said aerator means and said emulsifying means forcausing a slight suction in an upward direction in the inner pipe of thewell fluids, so that the foamed and emulsified well fluids are forcedupward and discharged at the upper terminal of the inner pipe at theearths surface with very low applied pressure.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further including packer meanspositioned immediately below the aerator device within the adjacentannulus.

3. The invention according to claim 1 further including a sectioncompletely filling an axial section of said inner pipe and defining aplurality of axial oil flow passageways therethrough, and wherein saidaerator means includes a gas flow channel having a terminal portionaligned concentrically with said section downstream thereof.

4. The invention according to claim 1, further including an additionalconcentrically disposed pipe forming an outer annulus and having upperand lower terminal means, said outer annulus having an open lowerterminal means for receiving well fluid surfacing above the position ofthe aerator device, and means feedingsaid external supply of gas from asource through the portion of the outer annulus above the surface ofsaid well fluid to said upper terminal of the adjacent annulus.

5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein valve means are providedwithin the feeding means between the outer annulus and the adjacentannulus to create adjustment of back pressure against the face of theproducing formation for preventing encroachment of salt water andthereby prolonging the producing life of the well.

6. The invention according to claim 4, wherein the lower terminal of theinner pipe includes a section having a plurality of oil flow passagewayscommunicating the well fluids thereinto, said aerator device including aball and seat standing valve which opens upon the application of gasunder pressure passing through said aerator and the output of saidaerator having a screen means for the efflux of gas into the oil flowfrom said oil flow passageways.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said section completelyfills the lower terminal of said inner pipe and whereinsaid oil flowpassageways preclude foreign particles from entering and clogging theproducing string through said section.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE Certificate Patent No.3,884,299 Patented May 20, 1975 Arol B. McCarter and Seymour Van OsApplication having been made by Arol B. McCarter and Seymour Van Os, theinventors named in the patent above identified, and said McCarterAssignor of 15% to RR Blount, Longview, Texas, for the issuance of acertificate under the provisions of Title 35, Section 256, of the UnitedStates Code, deleting the name of Arol B. McCarter as a joint inventor,and a showing and proof of facts satisfying the requirements of the saidsection having been submitted, it is this 8th day of March 1983,certified that the name of the said Are] B. McCarter is hereby deletedfrom the said patent as a joint inventor with the said Seymour Van Os.

Fred W. Sherling, Associate Solicitor

1. An improved well pump for fluids and vapors comprising a set of atleast two concentrically disposed pipes for stringing down into a wellbelow fluid level, said set consisting of an inner pipe and an adjacentannulus each having an upper and a lower terminal thereof, an externalsupply of gas coupled to the upper terminal of the adjacent annulus forfeeding gas under pressure down therein, aerator means disposed at thelower terminal of the inner pipe for coupling the gas of the adjacentannulus into the inner pipe including emulsifying means for causing thegas to comingle with the well fluids, and venturi means within the flowpath downstream of said aerator means and said emulsifying means forcausing a slight suction in an upward direction in the inner pipe of thewell fluids, so that the foamed and emulsified well fluids are forcedupward and discharged at the upper terminal of the inner pipe at theearth''s surface with very low applied pressure.
 2. The inventionaccording to claim 1, further including packer means positionedimmediately below the aerator device within the adjacent annulus.
 3. Theinvention according to claim 1 further including a section completelyfilling an axial section of said inner pipe and defining a plurality ofaxial oil flow passageways therethrough, and wherein said aerator meansincludes a gas flow channel having a terminal portion alignedconcentrically with said section downstream thereof.
 4. The inventionaccording to claim 1, further including an additional concentricallydisposed pipe forming an outer annulus and having upper and lowerterminal means, said outer annulus having an open lower terminal meansfor receiving well fluid surfacing above the position of the aeratordevice, and means feeding said external supply of gas from a sourcethrough the portion of the outer annulus above the surface of said wellfluid to said upper terminal of the adjacent annulus.
 5. The inventionaccording to claim 4, wherein valve means are provided within thefeeding means between the outer annulus and the adjacent annulus tocreate adjustment of back pressure against the face of the producingformation for preventing encroachment of salt water and therebyprolonging the producing life of the well.
 6. The invention according toclaim 4, wherein the lower terminal of the inner pipe includes a sectionhaving a plurality of oil flow passageways communicating the well fluidsthereinto, said aerator device including a ball and seat standing valvewhich opens upon the application of gas under pressure passing throughsaid aerator and the output of said aerator having a screen means forthe efflux of gas into the oil flow from said oil flow passageways. 7.The invention according to claim 6 wherein said section completely fillsthe lower terminal of said inner pipe and wherein said oil flowpassageways preclude foreign particles from entering and clogging theproducing string through said section.